Here’s a look back at what the Tucson Foodie team enjoyed during October!
Not only are these reminders of the dishes we ate, but they can also be a guide for your own decisions on what to eat here in Tucson.
I finally got to check out Miramonte and I’m glad there’s yet another place where I can get my oyster fix. I also tried the Ahi Tuna Tartare and what a treat. I’m a big fan and will be back for this and a martini. I’ll also note that the slices of pie are sizable and delicious. We tried the Coconut Cream Pie and we all happily shared it amongst four of us.
Read our article Miramonte brings midcentury style and late night menu to Midtown.
Guess what? I’m still a fan of Casa del Rio. Yes, it’s within walking distance to my house but now that tamale season is approaching, all I can think of is their red tamale beef tacos. My mouth waters just thinking of these. And of course their Tiki Thursday program continues to be a hit.
Read our article Casa Del Rio: An Unexpected Tiki Oasis on Tucson’s East Side.
I had really bad wings this month (somewhere else), but then I also had really good wings at Tandem American Eatery. These were the “I think I made a mistake wings” tossed in their house made Cheeky Little Devil hot sauce. They were crispy, moist, didn’t melt off your taste buds and had a good lingering heat.
Read our article Tucson’s Tandem American Eatery Focuses on From-Scratch Cooking.
I love everything at Kin Dee Thai. There’s so much heart in everything they do.
Read our article Photo Tour: Soft Opening at Kin Dee Thai.
The new menu items at Zio Peppe are so colorful! One thing about Chef Christian Padilla? He’s gonna have an eggy dish on the menu. His deviled eggs, burrata verde, and carpaccio were all stand out dishes.
Read our article Photo Tour: New Menu Items at Zio Peppe.
I visited Substance Diner at El Pais Motel for one of their weekend movie nights. I got the Substance Burger featuring a Beyond Meat patty, shredded lettuce, pickled red onions, dill pickle slices, organic tomato, and a sesame bun. The fries with their house-made ranch were excellent as always, and the beer paired perfectly. Check out their Instagram for updates on upcoming movie nights!
Read our 2022 article A conversation with Karl Poechlauer of Substance Diner.
This take-out dish may not be the prettiest version I’ve ever eaten, but it sure was a fine example of what the dish should be. The Chicken Marsala at Giuseppe’s on North Oracle was a huge serving! The chicken was tender, the sauce was rich and savory, and the pasta served on the side rounded out the dish nicely.
The stuffed mushrooms are jam-packed with slightly spicy sausage and topped with a healthy toss of Italian cheese. Bigger than one bite good!
If you are not familiar with Giuseppe’s, you’re missing out. You can find it in the plaza on the northeast corner of Oracle Road at Roller Coaster Road. The recipes are old family ones, rooted in the Scordato family. It is literally tucked in the back corner of the plaza.
For more information, visit giuseppesristorantes.com.
Doug Levy was a chef who used local ingredients and local purveyors long before the concept became trendy, Levy created fabulous and one-of-a-kind dishes at Feast, his midtown restaurant, changing his menu monthly and earning rave reviews.
These days dining at Feast is better than ever, IMO. Service is always spot on and the wine book is one of the city’s best with wines from around the world and something for every palate and price level.
A new monthly menu pops up every second Tuesday of the month. Some items roll over on to the new menu, others are reworked, and still others fade away.
Our lunch there was on the last week of the September menu. One item, the pork tenderloin schnitzel sandwich didn’t make it onto the October menu. The sandwich that replaced it is, no doubt, equally tasty.
The schnitzel was thin slices of pork tenderloin breaded and fried to perfection. It was then topped with a creamy dressing, tender greens and stuffed into a buttery brioche bun.
The crab cakes were perfect discs of sweet and savory crab, browned to a golden goodness and drizzled with a lemon/pear brandy butter and crème fraiche and fresh tarragon.
For more information, visit eatatfeast.com.
The night we were at Miramonte the place was packed, but that didn’t affect the service or the food in any way. I think actually enhanced the whole experience.
We started our meal with the cornbread. Baked in a cast iron pan, flecked with chiles, this golden-brown treat was a great start. I regret I didn’t order one to take home for breakfast.
I then ordered the salmon (I’ve been on a salmon jag for lately.) The sauteed fish sat atop a mound of creamy whipped potatoes and sauteed spinach. The caper mustard beurre blanc finished off the plate. The flavors were subtle but ideal.
We shared Marianne’s Key Lime Pie – so creamy with nicely sweet/tangy flavors, it was a great way to end a birthday get together,
Read our article Miramonte brings midcentury style and late night menu to Midtown.
Chef Janos invited me into Studio Janos to photograph some dishes from his fall menu. I managed to scarf down two dishes before rushing off to Tucson Meet Yourself: hamachi aguachile in a spicy watermelon broth, and seared duck breast bordelaise with duxelles potatoes, port and cognac-poached shallots, and romanesco.
Read our article Studio Janos reopens with two new Fall menus.
When I first wrote the steak guide, I received a significant amount of flak for not including Casa Madre. But I’ve ordered it twice since then, and it has rightfully earned a spot on that list with its massive, tender rib-eye topped with bright chimichurri, atop a bed of comforting poblano scalloped potatoes.
Read our article Best Steaks in Tucson.
During their soft opening, I finally got to try one of their vegan donuts. My pick: brioche cinnamon apple cream. Fluffy and not too sweet.
Read our article Cal’s Bakeshop to open brick-and-mortar location October 11 [PHOTOS].
I indulged with a friend at Ursa when they still offered a ten-course menu (they’ve since then trimmed it to eight courses). I’m used to prickly pear as a pink accent for things, but not so much used to it as a star. For a dessert course, I believe they blackened the prickly pear fruit over coals, then peeled it and made sorbet with it. The flavor was complex with layers of smokiness and umami that I haven’t before experienced with the fruit.
I also loved their mesquite seven ways, but I’ll let you read about that in Shane’s blurb later in this article…
Read our article Ursa brings desert-inspired fine dining to downtown Tucson Oct. 10.
I never thought it would be worth it to drive near the airport to get wings, but then I tried Flaps and Racks. The wings made it onto my list last month, but then I ordered their baked potato on a whim. With steak, chipotle ranch, and house hot sauce. The skin was lightly crisp with salt crystals, the steak charred and thoroughly seasoned. I ended up coming back for it twice over the past month. They were sold out by 7 p.m. one of those times, so don’t visit too late for this low key gem of a potato.
Read our article ‘Flaps and Racks’ is now serving its wings, ribs & more on the south side.
I saw Bisou Burger’s cute pink food truck parked in front of Slow Body, then remembered @carmenquierecomer highly praising them over a year ago, so I had to give them a try. I tried their Chinese Chorizo special burger, and I immediately paused to widen my eyes. Complex flavors and textures with technique and restraint. They even make their own fluffy buns.
I also knew I had to order their mac and cheese just by looking at the ingredients listed. Good cheeses + panko + roasted poblanos = chef’s kiss
We don’t have an article on them… yet.
Keep up with Bisou Burger on Instagram.
I wanted an eastside happy hour and decided to try the Cork’s happy hour for the first time. I now see how they have a reputation as on of the town’s best happy hours. I had tender lollipop lamb chops and prime rib strips, both over garlic mashed potatoes.
Off their main menu, I ordered the Culichi Lobster & Shrimp Mac. The shellfish mingled with the poblano cream sauce with the added texture of the macaroni and breadcrumbs. A playful take on the Sinaloa specialty sauce.
Read our article The Cork Tucson & UnCork’d launch new fall menus.
My current favorite carpaccio in town with a combination of charred scallion, tonnato sauce, and fried shallot. Lime zest and fresh cilantro add brightness, while capers add a salty punch. The nopal and calabrian gremolata adds texture alongside their adorable little breadsticks.
Read our article Photo Tour: New Menu Items at Zio Peppe.
One of the newest spots in Tucson, Ursa, served me one of the best desserts I’ve ever had in my life. I hope to God that you can get it because their menu can shift at any time given their focus on locally foraged seasonal ingredients. It’s called Mesquite Seven Ways. It was technically a custard, but as I was eating it, I was thinking, “this is the best ice cream in Tucson, or anywhere I’ve been.” Which is saying a lot because I order ice cream every chance I get. The texture is as incredible as the flavor. I highly recommend making a reservation at Ursa. They shifted from a 5 or 10 course dining experience to a single 8 course experience based on guest feedback. Their approach to hospitality is to be envied by even the most upscale restaurants in Tucson, including all the resorts. I’m super excited for this addition to our downtown and can’t wait to return.
Read our article Ursa brings desert-inspired fine dining to downtown Tucson Oct. 10.
Head chef Matt Boling at Beyond Bread is experimenting with some new sandwiches on the menu at their new location on South Park Avenue. This little guy is the Italian Pulled Pork. It had a great flavor. Juicy and a little sweet. The best part, of course, was the bread. Don’t you hate when sandwiches like these have too much bread? That wasn’t the case here. It was the right amount of bread and the bread was soft with a thin little crispy exterior, giving it a nice crunch.
For more information, visit beyondbread.com/bread-mill.
I usually favor mole that is dark, rich and sweet, but I really enjoyed this bright and tangy mole sauce on the veggie enchiladas at Amelia’s.
Read our article Chef Jose Contreras Honors Tradition at Amelia’s Mexican Kitchen.
My go-to at Rosebud is their peach hand pie. It might be less impressive than some of their other sweeter and richer pastries, but for me it’s the perfect little treat. Everything at Rosebud is great so if they are out of these, just get something else, dude.
Read our article Rise and Shine with Rosebud Bakery.
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